Front of House Volunteers
Thank you for being part of the Kay Meek Arts Centre team.
Our goal is to consistently offer quality service to our patrons and to distinguish Kay Meek Centre among performing arts centres. With our box office, front of house, and concession services, we aim to go ‘above and beyond’ and to provide hallmark experiences for those who visit our theatres.
You are the first point of contact when patrons enter the building and therefore you are a very important part of the KMC experience. By fulfilling your roles and responsibilities and working as a team, you help us maintain high standards of patron services.
We thank you for sharing your time and interest and for helping us achieve the standards to which we aspire.
Benefits
We are very pleased to offer two pairs of complimentary tickets to two performances a year (a total of four tickets per season). Tickets are dependent on availability.
NEW: Concession volunteers are eligible to receive four pairs of complimentary tickets (for a total of eight per season).
Invitation to volunteer recognition and other special events.
The satisfaction that comes from making an important contribution to Kay Meek Centre and to our community.
You may be able to see the performance the day you usher, as circumstances permit. This is dependent on seating availability and special tasks/requirements that may arise. If it is important to you that you see a particular performance, we then recommend that you attend as a regular patron.
General Responsibilities for Ushers
Offer a friendly welcome to patrons entering the building.
Act as a positive ambassador for Kay Meek Centre.
Be aware of safety protocols and emergency procedures.
Take your direction from the House Manager.
Assist guests with any concerns; provide directions to locations within the building and answer questions. Be friendly, helpful and able to interact positively with people in any situation.
Scan tickets, direct guests to their seats and distribute programs if applicable.
Dress Code
Please dress in white or black dress shirts/blouses and black pants/skirts. We ask that clothing be free of logos and well maintained. In the winter the building can get quite cold, jackets or sweaters are recommended.
Comfortable shoes are recommended over heels as you may be standing for periods of time.
Please do not wear perfume; this can cause problems for people with allergies and asthma.
Equipment: upon arrival for a shift, please put on your name tag. There will be flashlights available for volunteer use.
Face masks are optional but available for volunteers and patrons if requested
The majority of events follow a consistent pattern as follows:
In order to begin the briefing on time and be in place to greet the public, please ensure you arrive on time for your shift.
The briefing begins typically either 45 or 60 minutes prior to event start, and is conducted by the House Manager. (Please note that the time reflected on your monthly schedule confirmations is the actual start time of your shift, at which point you need to be in the office boardroom, ready to be briefed).
After briefing, volunteers move to assigned positions, ready to welcome the public at the main entry doors and in the lobby.
House Manager will give the “All Clear” for the theatre doors to be opened. This timing changes from performance to performance, so it is important to wait for the House Manager’s direction.
There are six different roles that our volunteers may fill. They have been developed to provide audiences with friendly and safe access to Kay Meek Centre. The actual number of volunteers and their roles is dependent on the event.
Ticket Taker – Ticket takers greet patrons at the auditorium entrance, taking and scanning their tickets. They also assist with any latecomers to the performance. All ticket takers should be able to quickly direct patrons to their appropriate entrance.
Usher – Ushers provide guidance and safety to patrons as they take their seats. Ushers need to be able to climb up and down stairs without difficulty. Ushers also resolve any minor seating issues, and bring larger issues to the attention of the House Manager. When available, ushers also hand out programs.
Greeters – The Greeters welcome patrons to the theatre, offer direction and information when asked and when applicable hand out programs.
Coat Check/Will Call – The Coat Check is an all purposes position. The primary role is to collect coats from patrons. From time to time they are asked to assist the Box Office Manager/Attendant with the distribution of Will Call tickets. The Coat Check volunteer may also be asked to fill in for a vacant position in an emergency.
Merchandise Salesperson – The salesperson’s responsibility is to sell and track merchandise related to the event. They may not always be scheduled in advance, and may be asked to sell the day of the performance. Salespersons need to be comfortable with cash handling.
Concession – Concession attendants operate in the concession, selling snacks and both alcoholic, and non-alcoholic beverages. Concession workers need to have their Serving it Right certification, must be comfortable dealing with money, comfortable counting stock, and able to work quickly in short high pressure situation.
Take your directions only from the House Manager (not the client, nor anyone else) for opening the doors at the beginning of a performance.
Generally, when the house lights go on fully and applause is ending, it’s your cue to open the doors at intermission or at the end of a performance. There will on occasion be encores, so be sure that the performance has finished before opening doors
Assigned Seating: Patrons have a seat number on their tickets. Ushers guide patrons to their assigned row and seats.
General/Festival Seating: Patrons are able to take any open seat. Ushers need to take a lead role in asking patrons to fill in any gaps in the seats. This will ensure that parties don’t become separated. Encouraging a “Front to Back” policy is the best way to ensure as many seats possible are filled.
No one may sit in the aisles. Everyone MUST have a seat. Tripods are not allowed to block the aisles or the rows and are only allowed in the centre of the row.
Once the performance has started, patrons are to be guided to and from their seats with a flashlight.
Flashlights are provided by the Kay Meek Centre. They can be picked up and returned each shift
Once the performance has started, patrons are to be guided to their seats with a flashlight.
If you see a patron leaving the auditorium and want to assist them, please stand up and guide them directly. DO NOT stay seated and shine the light down the stairs. This makes it difficult for the patron to see, and it illuminates the entire wall.
Do not use your flashlight to read a program, or any other materials
Please refrain from using flashlights on cell phones as best as possible. We encourage patrons to keep their phones off, and must lead by example.
Patrons are to exit the auditorium in a timely manner. They are not permitted on the stage in the Grosvenor theatre.
In the Grosvenor theatre, as well as the usual exits, audiences may leave via the door to the right of the stage. This is useful for patrons who cannot easily climb stairs.
They may NOT leave via the door to the left of the stage.
Any patron who wishes to meet/pick up a performer may wait in the lobby or outside to do so.
In the Grosvenor theatre there are 8 seats reserved for volunteers, located as seats: E1, E31, L1, L2, L30, L31, R1 and R31. Please do not offer these to audience members.
In the McEwan theatre seats AA1 – AA4, A19 & AA20 are similarly reserved for ushers.
Wheelchairs:
There are wheelchair spots in both theatres.
In the Grosvenor theatre, there special access seating in the boxes at the back of the auditorium. They are marked as: Row T Seats 1 & 2 on the right hand side of the theatre and Row T Seats 3, 4, 5, & 6 on the left hand side.
For general admission events, the KMAC can accommodate a maximum of four wheelchairs, depending on size.
Wheelchairs in the McEwan theatre can be accommodated by removing any of the seats in the front row, Row A Seats 13 – 16 are held for patrons with mobility needs.
Kay Meek also has a complimentary wheelchair available upon request for patrons with mobility difficulties. Please ask the House Manager about using it.
Additional Lobby Seating:
We have a number of folding chairs. If lobby seating is full, and you think a patron might appreciate a seat while waiting, then ask if you might bring them a chair.
Personal Listening Devices:
In-ear personal listening devices are available for the Grosvenor theatre only. Please speak to the House Manager if a patron requests one.
Booster Seats:
Booster seats are available on a first come, first served basis. They may be used in either theatre.
Booster seats need to be returned at the end of the night and neatly stacked in the coat check.
Babes-in-Arms:
Children under two years of age may be admitted without a ticket for performances that are suitable. They must sit in the accompanying adult’s lap. If the parents wish for the child to have their own seat, they must have a ticket.
The Box Office Hours are Tuesday – Friday 12:00pm – 4:00pm, and one hour before a ticketed performance. If a patron needs to purchase a ticket, then the Box office person will attend to that, provided there are tickets left to sell.
Will Call tickets are available for pick up at the Box Office.
At times a client does not require Kay Meek to provide Will Call or Box Office and handles their own will call and ticket selling at a separate table in the lobby. The House Manager will let you know the situation during the briefing at the start of your shift.
Kay Meek Arts Centre and West Vancouver Secondary School property is a smoke-free environment, without exception. Anyone wishing to smoke must leave school property by crossing Mathers Ave.
Food is not allowed in the Grosvenor theatre. Bottled water with a cap is the only beverage allowed. All other drinks/snacks must be disposed of before entering the theatre spaces.
The McEwan theatre allows food and drink inside only when the tables and chairs are set up as cabaret style seating, in this event the FOH will expressly say that food and drink may go inside.
A filtered water station is available to the public. It is located beside Concession on the main floor. Small disposable cups are also provided. Patrons must consume this water prior to going into a theatre, however, because the cups are open and have no lids.
The Courtyard area outside is not licenced, no liquor is allow to exit the building. If you see patrons drinking outside please ask that they return to the lobby.
The general rule is no photography, however this depends on the event.
The more formal the event, the more stringent the application. Some dance recital/competitions bring their own professional photographers/videographers; in this event photography is strictly prohibited. Most SD45 events allow photography and video recording.
However, flash photography is always off-limits.
The House Manager will communicate the policy during the breifing.
Occasionally we host receptions and ushers may be requested to serve beverages and light tray items.
Volunteers, even when trained, are asked not to perform first aid. If a medical situation arises notify the House Manager or TD (Technical Director) immediately. Use your common sense, given the situation.
The main parking is located behind the building, with access from Kings Ave or Inglewood Ave.
There is also a parking located past West Vancouver Secondary School on Mathers Ave, although this parking lot is off-limits during school hours.
Disabled parking is available directly in front of the entrance on Mathers Avenue. Anyone looking to enter the building without the use of stairs should park on Mathers Ave.
Be sure to talk to the House Manager if you are unclear about your volunteer position.
Your shift is likely to be a 3 ½ hour to 4 hour commitment. We expect you to stay for the duration. A final reminder that Kay Meek Arts Centre supports a variety of events – professional, community and cultural.
Your assigned position is your position for the duration of the performance. Please return quickly to your position at intermission and following the performance so that you are available to help the public as required.
Please do not consume food or drink when the public is present. (Food may be consumed in the office boardroom at the discretion of the House Manager.)
Volunteers and staff are not allowed to drink alcohol while on duty.
Again, please do not wear perfume. This can cause problems for those with allergies or asthma.
Finally, thank you for your support! We are happy to be working with you and providing our patrons with the very best customer service.
